200 arrested in One Time Big Time ops

Around P8 million in illegal drugs were seized and around 200 persons were arrested in a One Time Big Time operation by different police units starting yesterday dawn.

Around nine were reportedly shot dead, three of them in Cebu City and six in Talisay City.

The Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) said that at 5 p.m. yesterday, around 94 were arrested, while the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) apprehended 76 persons. Four were arrested in Lapu-Lapu City and seven in Mandaue City.

The Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 served over 100 search warrants against suspected illegal drug traders, 59 of which were served in Cebu City.

The police targeted noted personalities linked to illegal drugs. Some were killed in the operation for trying to fight back.

PRO 7 Chief Debold Sinas and CCPO Chief Royina Garma assured that the operations were legitimate. Those who did not fight back were merely arrested and their illegal drugs confiscated.

CCPO records released to media showed that 76 were arrested with packs of illegal drugs; six of them were also caught with illegal firearms and 23 were wanted persons.

In their operations in Barangay Ermita, Tejero and Lahug, at least one person in each area was killed. Garma said all those with search warrants were caught with packs of illegal drugs.

She said that Barangays Duljo Fatima, Pasil and Ermita were the areas that were mostly affected by illegal drugs.

Meanwhile, Talisay City Police Chief Marlu Conag said they were able to serve 11 search warrants in Sitio Tunga, Barangay Tanke, where five persons were killed.

On the other hand, close to P1 million in illegal drugs were also seized in Mandaue City and Consolacion. Eleven were arrested. Seven were arrested, four of them served with a search warrant, while three were caught in a buy-bust operation.

Mandaue City Police Chief Julian Entoma said seven of those arrested were in their drug watch list. One was known as a high-value target.

Consolacion Police seized around P700,000 in illegal drugs, while four were arrested and one escaped.